Michael Prescott

A film that shows how gutless Britain has become

Michael Prescott — who was a passenger on the King’s Cross train on 7/7 — applauds a movie inspired by the terrorist attacks. But why is nobody keen to distribute it?

Michael Prescott — who was a passenger on the King’s Cross train on 7/7 — applauds a movie inspired by the terrorist attacks. But why is nobody keen to distribute it?

The world has an estimated 798 billionaires. Thousands more people are each worth hundreds of million. Any one of them is in a position to blow £8 million on a whim. Only one of them has decided to gamble that amount on a film about how Britain views its Muslims in the age of Islamist terror. Aron Govil is an Indian-born Hindu who has lived in New York since 1970, gradually accruing wealth through his activities in industry and the energy business. Eighteen months ago a friend showed him a movie script set in London, inspired by the 7 July Tube bombings and the shooting of the terror-suspect-who-wasn’t, Jean Charles de Menezes.

Mr Govil decided to make the movie. ‘I felt this was a film with important things to say, while Hollywood is busy making Hellboy II,’ he explains, adding with unembarrassed candour: ‘I have the money to make the film, I didn’t need support from anyone else, I decided to do it.’  

Speaking to Mr Govil is what speaking to a BBC executive ought to be like. In the coming months, this high-minded businessman will discover whether he can add ‘movie producer’ to his list of commercial triumphs. We should all care whether he wins through, but frankly, the signs are less than good.

No one wants to distribute Shoot on Sight, though it boasts a clever script, an experienced director, high production values, a singularly topical theme and a well-known cast which includes Greta Scacchi and Brian Cox. Mr Govil is trying to break into the weird scene that is British and international movie distribution, drawing strength only from his director, his cast and (here we should all be grateful) his rather large bank balance.

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